November 14, 2004
Soulless Music
I recently heard the song by pop star JoJo, who sings “Leave (Get Out)”. It’s a catchy tune, about the pain and heartache of a girl who had a boyfriend tell her they’d be together forever, and then cheated on her. In all honesty, the song (at least for a pop song) isn’t poorly written, has a catchy tune, and for mindless pop, isn’t all that bad.
But I heard one thing that absolutely makes me hate that song. She’s 13 years old!
She’s too young to have enough experience to have written the song, I’m sure. And I would guess that she’s too young to really have lived long enough to understand what its about. I’m sure she *thinks* she does, but she’s 13. I thought I knew a lot when I was 13, and looking back, I knew squat. I barely know squat now, and I’m twice that age.
So what are we left with? A talented singer trying to emulate pain and heartbreak in grown-up lyrics. I’ve always had a little problem with singers that don’t write their own songs, but I can understand if they’ve found a song they love and feel they can use their voice to express the emotions. But this just goes a little too far, if you ask me.
(By the way, while I’m here, is Ashlee Simpson’s career over yet? Or still in its death throes?)
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I fully agree. Why have we made a 13 year old a sex symbol? Its just wrong, very, very, VERY wrong.
I fully agree. Why have we made a 13 year old a sex symbol? Its just wrong, very, very, VERY wrong.
Hey now,
The Olson Twins had been sex symbols since they were nine.
Your love is real and painful no matter how old you are. Surely, we can all look back on our first heart break and still remember how crushed we were. We can laugh at it now but it was very real back then – just different. No one could or should tell a 13 or 15 or even 19 year old that it was no big deal and that we don’t know what love was. And when I have children that age I hope that I can remember how much it hurt and not tell my child that they have no idea what pain or love is because they are simply too young.
On another note: Ashlee Simpson is not the hip rock and roll star she thinks she is. I heard her played two songs after her sister.
And finally, I have to say that JoJo was very appropriately dresses at the music awards about a month ago in jeans, a tee shirt and gym shoes. No half top, no heels, just the normal clothes for a 13 year old.
I wasn’t able to edit that as well as I wanted. The baby is pushing all the buttons! Sorry!
Going along with your “Reading is Fundamental” post, I offer this: all external stimuli have the potential to move us in profound & unexpected ways. Reading a great book, hearing a song, perhaps even the way a smell catches you and compels you to give pause & reflect on life (or at least on the moment…) – who are you to say that the reflections of a 13 year old girl are less valid that those of anyone else’s? If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my daughter, it’s that children can be *so much* more in touch with their emotions than adults. That’s no news flash, I’m sure, but when you don’t have to worry about your career/bills/mortgages/elections/etc. your emotions are easily the most “real” thing to you. Remember Romeo & Juliet? They were supposed to be 13 year-old kids, yet this is touted as one of the [boomy echoing voice] “Greatest Love Stories Every Told…old…old…old…” [/boomy echoing voice] Personally, I can attest to doing most of my writing (poetry & music) from the time I was about 14-17. Sure, most of it was angst-ridden, but it was _real_ and it certainly was in-touch with what I was experiencing. And I personally believe that the song’s I’d written during that time were more poignant, if not certainly more catchy & mass-friendly, than anything I’ve done to date.